Lao Airlines

Lao Airlines
ການບິນລາວ
IATA ICAO Callsign
QV LAO LAO
Founded 1976
Hubs Wattay International Airport
Focus cities Luang Prabang International Airport
Fleet size 11
Destinations 20
Headquarters Vientiane, Laos
Key people Dr. Somphone Douangdara (President)
Website laoairlines.com

Lao Airlines State Enterprise[1] is the national airline of Laos, headquartered in Vientiane. It operates domestic as well as international services to countries such as Cambodia, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Korea. Its main operating base is Wattay International Airport in Vientiane.[2] It is subordinate to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.[1]

History

In September 1976 the Civil Aviation Company was formed from the merger of existing airlines Royal Air Lao and Lao Air Lines.[3] The company became Lao Aviation in 1979. The national carrier initially started with a mixed fleet of Western aircraft, including the Douglas DC-3 and DC-4, operating on international and domestic routes, as well as a fleet of helicopters for more remote regions. Reflecting the country's closer links with its Eastern neighbours, a re-equipment exercise was undertaken in the 1980s, with the fleet then primarily composed of aircraft from China and the Soviet Union. For international services to Bangkok, Hanoi and Phnom Penh these included the Antonov An-24.

A joint venture with China Yunnan Airlines and the Lao government was formed, which re-nationalized Lao Aviation in 2000. In 1994, the airline upgraded its fleet with ATR-42 turboprop aircraft and by 1995 had acquired an ATR-72 aircraft, adding Xian Y-7 and Harbin Y-12 aircraft to its fleet.

In 2003, the airline was re-branded to become Lao Airlines and on 8 November 2011 took delivery of the first of two Airbus A320 aircraft ordered from Airbus, the second A320 arriving in December 2011. The A320s are the first jet aircraft to be purchased by Lao Airlines and feature a two-class layout seating 126 passengers in the main cabin and 16 in Business Class and are powered by CFM International CFM56 engines.[4]

Destinations

Lao Airlines ATR72-500 at Wattay International Airport, Vientiane.
Lao Airlines ATR-72 (RDPL-34132) with plumeria livery at Pakse International Airport, Laos.


As of February 2014, Lao Airlines operates scheduled flights to the following destinations:[5]

Codeshare agreements

Lao Airlines has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:[6]

Fleet

As of 1 July 2015, the Lao Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft:

Lao Airlines Fleet
Aircraft In Service Orders Passengers Notes
J Y Total
Airbus A320-200
4
16
126
142
International and domestic flights.
ATR 72-500
4
70 70
ATR 72-600
3
1
Total 11 1

Accidents and incidents


References

  1. 1 2 "Press Release #4." (Archive) Lao Airlines. 18 October 2013. Retrieved on 20 October 2013.
  2. "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-04-03. pp. 104–105.
  3. http://www.laoairlines.com/aboutus/
  4. "Press releases". airbus. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  5. Lao Airlines Route Map
  6. "Lao Airlines Codeshare Flights". Lao Airlines.
  7. Accident description for RDPL-34037 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
  8. Accident description for RDPL-34037 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
  9. Accident description for RDPL-34008 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
  10. Accident description for RDPL-34117 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
  11. Accident description for RDPL-34001 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
  12. Accident description for RDPL-34130 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 17 October 2013.
  13. Accident description for RDPL-34118 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 October 2013.
  14. "Lao Airlines plane crashes, 44 killed". Bankock Post. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  15. "Plane crashes in Laos, 39 people killed: Thai TV". Reuters. Retrieved 16 October 2013.

External links

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